Syria is witnessing one of its bloodiest phases in the ongoing 14-year conflict. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that over 973 civilians have lost their lives across Latakia, Tartus, and Hama governorates in recent days, with the majority belonging to the Alawite minority.
The violence escalated following an ambush on a Syrian security patrol by supporters of former ruler Bashar Assad. This triggered a wave of fierce clashes and retaliatory killings, primarily targeting Alawites, though other groups were also affected.
As the situation unfolds, a surge of misleading videos and images has flooded social media. Some clips depict atrocities that did not occur in Syria, while others are old recordings circulated under false contexts.
Viral misinformation exposed
- Crucifixion hoax: A widely shared image claiming that Christians were being crucified by extremists in Syria has been debunked. The photo originates from a 2017 video, with no confirmed link to recent events.
- Fake beheading: A supposed execution video was proven false. The footage, dating back to 2022, actually shows a staged performance.
- False death reports: Several individuals falsely declared as victims—such as Reem Mnzer and Sahar Boutros—have publicly confirmed they are alive.
- Fabricated bombing footage: Clips of alleged barrel bombings were traced to Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon in late 2024.
- Misleading prisoner videos: Reports of “naked women paraded” turned out to be footage of Syrian soldiers repatriated from Iraq.
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